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Convocation
honors excellence
By Sarah Krebs
Staff Reporter
Despite hard times in the world, TCU needs to celebrate
the efforts to inspire academic excellence said Kathryne
McDorman, the director of the honors program, as she
kicked off the 41st Annual Honors Convocation.
Among
those honored Thursday were the winners of the Alpha
Lambda Delta Award: Michelle Backer, Kendall Hartung,
Stephanie Moore and Sara Paque. Jessica Keller, a senior
speech pathology, was named the TCU Honors Scholar for
her senior research.
Chancellor
Michael Ferrari, in his last Honors Convocation at TCU,
announced the new Pi Beta Kappa invitees of five juniors,
who must have a GPA of 3.9 to be elected; 21 seniors,
who must have a GPA of 3.7 to be elected; and three
students whose degrees were conferred.
Amber
Clark, the chair woman of the Student Honors Cabinet,
presented the 2003 Honors Faculty Recognition Award
to English professor Ronald Pitcock.
Pitcock
said he was honored and humbled to receive the award
after being at TCU for only two years. The entire Wassenich
family attended the ceremony and were recognized by
McDorman as contributors to the Honors Faculty Recognition
Award.
Green
Honors Chair Professor Margaret Nussbaum was the keynote
speaker. Nussbaum, author of 19 books and recipient
of 22 honorary degrees, was introduced as a lady comparable
to Gertrude Stein and Marie Curie by English professor
Linda Hughes.
Nussbaum
said it is necessary for colleges and universities to
increase compassion, imagination and international understanding
through a liberal art education.
Ken
Richardson, associate professor of mathematics, said
Nussbaum was engaging and very well qualified to be
asked to speak at TCU.
“I
agreed with the thoughts on implications of liberal
arts education and increasing awareness of other peoples’
conditions who are suffering,” Richardson said.
“It is easy to think too locally.”
Terry
James, a senior political science major, said he liked
the focus and direction Nussbaum took with her speech.
“I
found that the topic fit the current state of affairs
in the world,” James said. “I like the way
she built and made her argument.”=
s.d.krebs@tcu.edu
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